A two and a half hour “float chase” down Kettle River last Friday (July 24) ended when RCMP officers in Grand Forks arrested a man who allegedly crossed into Canada illegally.
According to a press release from the RCMP, Stevens County Sheriffs contacted Grand Forks RCMP on Friday at around 1 a.m. to warn them that a stolen vehicle had entered Canada through the closed Port Cascade border crossing.
American officers had attempted to stop the vehicle in Kettle Falls, Wash., successfully using a spike belt, but the suspect continued to drive and rammed through barriers at the border. He then abandoned the vehicle and took off on foot.
After locating the stolen vehicle that had been abandoned just outside the downtown core in the 7200-block of Highway 3, RCMP were still unable to find the man.
It wasn’t until later that day that he was spotted near where the vehicle was left. RCMP officers say they attempted to arrest the man, but he resisted arrest, then jumped into Kettle River and floated down the river for two-and-a-half hours.
Grand Forks and Midway RCMP walked along the river bank to track the man. Once the river narrowed, an RCMP officer, along with “some good Samaritans” were able to go into the river and escort the man back to shore, where he was taken into police custody without further incident.
Mounties turned the man over to Canada Border Services Agency on Saturday for possible charges.
ALSO READ: Two U.S. boaters fined after B.C. RCMP find they broke COVID rules in Canadian waters
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation here.
